Monthly Archives: June 2014

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The “eccentric” Erykah Badu performs live (Photo: courtesy of widescreen.com)

I’d like to open this post with a question. Why is it when rich people exhibit strange behavior they’re called “eccentric,” when If I did this kind of thing I’d just be labeled crazy? Not that I’m refuting such claims. 🙂

In an attempt to seek some apparently much-needed publicity, singer/songwriter Erykah Badu did her best to steal the spotlight from a reporter broadcasting live in New York while wearing a “Pharrell-esq” big white hat. New York’s Pix 11 reporter Mario Diaz was reporting live on the recent arrest of movie star Shia LaBeouf, when this happened…

After sneaking around the frame for a few seconds with a creepy grin on her face, Badu actually attempts to kiss Diaz, who successfully pushes the singer away and states, “couldn’t avoid a fan just now.”

According to Rollingstone, Badu originally denied that it was her in the video, but eventually confirmed it as she tweeted an apology to Diaz, who then tweeted back with Prince lyrics. “I get it because… ‘Ain’t no particular sign I’m more compatible with I just want your extra time and your….. kiss.’ He then promised, “Next time I won’t do the NYC push back.”

All’s well that ends well, I guess. No one got mugged and no one got arrested. Well… except Shia LaBeouf, of course.

Fans celebrate as the US moves on to the last 16 in the 2014 FIFA World Cup (Photo: courtesy of nbcnews.com)

In my opinion, sports and politics go together about as well as pizza and Twinkies. Or, to put it bluntly, like Ann Coulter and an intelligent thought, but we’ll get to that in just a moment. First, let me say congratulations to the US soccer team for moving forward into the last 16 in the 2014 FIFA World Cup! And congratulations to American sports fans for finally giving soccer its due.

Let’s face it; in the US we’ve been raised on baseball, basketball, and, my personal favorite, football. I’m talking good ole smash-mouth, gridiron, concussion-inducing, American football! Add the fact that we Americans are pretty famous for our stubbornness toward accept new things and it’s no wonder it has taken soccer so long to gain a foothold (pun intended) in the US, even if it is the most popular sport in the world.

But it has finally happened; soccer fever has gripped America and it’s thanks, in no small part, to the US soccer team’s phenomenal (thus far) performance in this year’s World Cup tournament in Brazil. Taking out their arch-rival Ghana, running down and eventually holding off the powerful offense of Portugal, and then putting up one hell of a fight against powerhouse Germany to hold them to one goal, the US has earned a place in the elimination round in consecutive World Cups for the first time in history!

That being said, there are still some who just don’t get the whole soccer thing. I completely understand. It took me forever to come around, too, and though I enjoy and appreciate it now, it’s still not at the top of my list. However, there is a big difference between “not getting” or even disliking a sport and expressing outright hatred and vitriol for it, or worse, using it as a soapbox for political hate speech. Enter, Ann Coulter…

What can I say (publicly) about Ann (that won’t get me fired or removed from this blog)? The right-wing political pundit and queen of intolerance has latched on to the sport of soccer in order to use it in an attempt to reemphasize her perceived superiority and denigrate, well… pretty much everyone else.

“It’s foreign,” she states outright. “In fact, that’s the precise reason the Times is constantly hectoring Americans to love soccer. One group of sports fans with whom soccer is not ‘catching on’ at all, is African-Americans. They remain distinctly unimpressed by the fact that the French like it.”

After the blonde-haired, blue-eyed, upper-class white woman finished authoritatively speaking for all African-Americans, she went on to drop this nugget of compassionate wisdom: “If more ‘Americans’ are watching soccer today, it’s only because of the demographic switch effected by Teddy Kennedy’s 1965 immigration law. I promise you: No American whose great-grandfather was born here is watching soccer. One can only hope that, in addition to learning English, these new Americans will drop their soccer fetish with time.”

Ahh… such a kind and compassionate person. She’s just the perfect embodiment of tolerance, love, acceptance, and racial diversity that makes this country so great. Don’t you think?

I understand that this post is a bit of a departure from my usual upbeat, high-spirited subject matter and I apologize to anyone who just isn’t that into politics. I just can’t stand it when high-profile pundits use whatever constitutes the most recent “big thing” in pop-culture as a platform to spew their hateful opinions and, in Coulter’s case, inflame racial tensions. Hate on soccer or any other sport you want (I’m not exactly the world’s biggest curling fan), but using it as a catalyst for one’s bigoted ego? That’s just pathetic.

Dozens of concert goers were hospitalized after consuming a “dangerous substance” at Avicii show in Boston (Photo: courtesy of Youtube)

On Tuesday, I ironically posted a piece about whether or not a trip to the ER highlighting your night out on the town constitutes a “good time.” If you ask me the answer is pretty simple; hell no! But some Avicii fans might say differently.

Approximately 50 people were treated on-scene and another 30-something taken to area hospitals during and following an Avicii concert at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, Wednesday night (6/25). According to the Boston Globe, EMS workers stated that the injuries were primarily due to a combination of dehydration, alcohol, and drug use. Always a good mix. Thankfully, medical professionals also stated that all of the injuries appeared to be minor.

In a statement released to ET News, Live Nation Entertainment, organizers of Wednesday’s concert, said “While this is still a developing situation, based on early reports from the venue it appears the majority of the transports were people outside the venue who were too impaired to be allowed inside the venue and access to the concert. Out of an abundance of caution they were transported for medical evaluation and assistance.”

So this raises a few questions. If you’re gonna go to a concert, wouldn’t it be in your best interest to be sober enough to at least be allowed entrance into the damn building? If you are allowed in, wouldn’t you like to remember the experience? Most importantly, is the guy below a possible Avicii concert goer? Hmm…

I joke only because, as stated before, the injuries were minor. The truth is that this situation could have been much worse. Public intoxication is one thing and carries its own dangers, but if you need to get fall-down, pass-out, “someone call an ambulance” drunk/high in order to enjoy yourself, do everyone a favor and enjoy yourself at home.

Five years ago today the world lost arguably the most popular and influential pop-rock artist of all time. On June 25, 2009, Michael Jackson, then 50 years old, passed away. His death caused a world-wide emotional outpouring of grief not seen since the death of Elvis Presley in 1977. It seemed as if the world came to a standstill as media outlets dedicated themselves to covering the details of Jackson’s death and the internet slowed to a crawl as websites such as TMZ and the Los Angeles Times became overloaded and crashed due to the overwhelming volume of searches for “Michael Jackson.”

On the 5th anniversary of his death, however, we at Karaoke Cloud would prefer to celebrate Michael’s life and career, and the magic he shared with billions around the world.

It was apparent from a very early age that Michael was destined for superstardom. He began his musical career at the age of 11 joining his brothers as a member of the Jackson 5. Famous for such hits as “I’ll Be There,” “ABC,” and “Dancing Machine,” the Jackson 5 was the first group in music history to have every one of their first four singles reach the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100.

While his early attempts at a solo career didn’t exactly soar, On August 10, 1979 Michael released Off The Wall, initiating a meteoric rise to the very top of the music industry. Then, three years later, came the record of all records. In November of 1982, Michael released Thrillerand ignited a firestorm in pop-culture that still burns five years after his death.

To this day,Thriller, which won a record-breaking 8 Grammy Awards in 1984,continues to hold on to the distinction as the largest selling album worldwide in the history of the music industry with more than 70 million sold. Singles from the album such as “Beat It,” “Billie Jean,” and the title track, “Thriller” have sold more than 100 million copies worldwide. Yet another record held by the King. And of course, there was THE definitive music video…

From this point forward the name “Michael Jackson” became synonymous with pop music. Including Off The Wall and Thriller, five of Michael’s albums are still considered some of the top selling records of all time (Bad, Dangerous, and HIStory comprise the other three). Throughout his iconic career, Jackson sold an estimated 750 million albums worldwide, released 13 number one singles, won 13 Grammy Awards and the AMA’s Artist of the Century Award, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame… twice!

The songs. The moves. The performances. There’s never been anyone else like Michael Jackson. From little kids born decades after his heyday to pop superstars such as Justin Timberlake and Usher, MJ has inspired millions to dance and sing with all their hearts. While his personal life was filled with controversy, it’s impossible to deny the unrivaled talent and sheer charisma that was embodied by the King of Pop. His music and legacy will live on.

Superstar Ed Sheeran opens up about a trip to a karaoke bar that ended up in a trip to the hospital (Photo: courtesy of boomsbeat.com)

We all know them, people who say you didn’t really have a good time unless the cops were involved. But what about doctors and nurses? Was it still a good time if you had to go to the ER? Well, Ed Sheeran has given us his view on the subject.

The singer’s second album, X, was released just yesterday. In celebration, Sheeran performed for a few hundred lucky fans at an iHeartRadio Album Release Party in Burbank, California, where he shared some personal anecdotes with host Mario Lopez. One of those tidbits involved a trip to a karaoke bar in Nashville where his exuberance led to a short hospital visit with a friend.

Sheeran told the crowd how he’d been drinking and singing the night away when he accidentally sliced open one of his hands while “playing drums with beer bottles.” Hmm… I mean, you would, wouldn’t you?

Apparently, it was a pretty bad cut as he told the crowd that the white shoes he had been wearing that night turned brown thanks to a rather profuse amount of blood. Thankfully, fellow singer, and apparent knight in shining armor, Gavin DeGraw happened to be there as well.

Sheeran and DeGraw had been taking turns singing each other’s songs, karaoke-style. After seeing Ed’s hand, Gavin stated, “Man, I’ve gotta get you to the hospital!”

According to Ed, Gavin put Sheeran in the backseat of his car and drove him to a local hospital to get stitches. As if that wasn’t enough, DeGraw then took Sheeran out for a burger and then drove the stitched-up singer home. All of that and the two had just met for the first time that very night! Now that is a friend for life!

You can click here to see more of Sheeran’s performance and interview with Mario Lopez. Then be sure to check out Sing-N-Share and KaraokeOnVEVO where you can sing your favorite songs from Ed Sheeran, Gavin DeGraw, and many other of today’s hottest artists.

The Four Seasons. Just the name of the popular 1960’s pop-group drums up images of fast cars, slicked-back hair, and soda fountains; iconic pieces of Americana lost to a simpler, bygone era. Director Clint Eastwood’s Jersey Boys, a big-screen adaptation of the Broadway play, looks to capitalize on those fond memories by telling the story of the rise and fall of what was considered to be the most popular rock band of the pre-Beatles era. Critics, however, are singing a different tune.

Jersey Boys opens in theaters nationwide today (6/20), but the movie isn’t being well-received by critics. USA Today‘s Claudia Puig opened her review by saying “The catchy hits by The Four Seasons are indelible, but Jersey Boys, the drab movie based on the Broadway musical about those tunes, is sadly forgettable.” She later states that the movie “comes off like a slightly edgier, more harmonic episode of Happy Days.”

Michael Phillips of the Chicago Tribune states that the film “labors under a case of directorial miscasting” and calls it “uncertainly stylized… with a drab sense of atmosphere at odds with the material’s punchy theatrics.”

Ouch! The reviews are definitely not kind for this jukebox tuner, but one thing that all the critics seem to agree on is the unbeatable magic of the music itself.

Fronted by the legendary Frankie Valley, The Four Seasons skyrocketed to stardom in the 1960’s with Valley’s instantly recognizable and unapologetically falsetto tones leading the charge and setting the group apart from musical rivals such as The Beach Boys. Their unique sound kept them afloat and ensured that they were one of the few American rock groups to survive the British Invasion lead by The Beatles, and in 1990 The Four Seasons were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

I tend to keep an open mind about movies until I have seen them for myself, regardless of what critics have to say, and Jersey Boys is no different. In my experience movie reviewers tend to be unnecessarily harsh and, at times, almost impossible to please. There’s a reason they’re called “critics,” after all.

As described in an article on usmagazine.com, “The upbeat video features Williams singing and dancing around with a group of cheering dancers waving their flags. Beyonce, sporting her recently debuted long braids, dances alone in the forest with a giant gold necklace and large white cover-up. Rowland (who is now pregnant) wears a white crop top with her hair short as she grins and rocks from side to side in the same forest.”

Journey To Freedom is Williams’ fourth solo studio album and the singer describes the work as one of “urban inspiration.” The album is due for released this September.

Although Rowland and Williams both made appearances in Beyonce’s “Superpower” music video, “Say Yes” marks the first time Destiny’s Child has actually recorded a song together since 2013’s “Nuclear,” and only their second such collaboration since the group formally disbanded in 2005.